The present invention relates directly to hydroelectric power generation, in particular to a hydroelectric power generating plant that solves many of the limitations and problems seen with today""s dam system.
The use of dams for the production of electrical energy has six major problems. First, the building of a dam on various scenic rivers has been met with much opposition from both ecologists and the general public. Ecologists do not approve with the alteration of the natural habitats of the river dwelling species and organisms, and the general public does not approve that the natural flow of the river is being altered. Second, the building of dam along a river floods potentially useful cropland, rendering the land useless except for recreation purposes. Third, dams can only be built along rivers where nature makes it feasibly possible. Ergo, this limits the number of dam operated hydroelectric plants that can be built and utilized. Fourth, the accumulation of silt behind dams forces either the dredging of the silt or the destruction of the damxe2x80x94both of which are very costly procedures. Fifth, with the construction of a dam operated hydroelectric plant, fish species, which migrate down the river, are typically injured as they travel through the turbine of the plant. Conversely, fish migrating up river are absolutely inhibited of doing so by the dam""s interference.
Finally, dam operated hydroelectric plants cannot be built on rivers that freeze over.
With the present invention these problems will cease to exist. In fact, to the normal observer, the actual existence of the proposed hydroelectric plant will appear to be an enigma.
The inventor has designed a unique hydroelectric system, which still utilizes the potential energy of falling water to produce electrical energy, but does so using an underground facility. In a dam operated hydroelectric plant a reservoir of water is utilized to ensure a constant flow of water through the turbines of the hydroelectric plant during drought or flood conditions. The present design makes use of the dam obsolete. Rather than storing water using a dam, an underground storage tank, beginning about six feet underground, will be utilized. This storage tank will potentially hold the same amount of water as a typical dam operated hydroelectric plant. An inlet pipe intersecting the river at its midpoint of depth, with the opening covered with a grate to keep fish out, would supply the underground tank with water. To keep the supply of water constant in the tank, a water level sensor will control the flow valve between the inlet pipe and the tank.
Connected at the base of the water tank will be a series of pipes, each controlled by a separate flow valve. Each pipe will lead to a turbine. By having multiple pipes from the storage tank lead to multiple turbines, this design allows for absolute control of the electrical output of the plant. These turbines would thus cause generators to turn, which could then send their electrical energy via underground cables to transformers about I mile away from the river. The water exiting the turbines would follow an underground outlet channel leading back to the river. The outlet pipe would intersect the river at its surface allowing water from the outlet pipe to rejoin the river water on its downward path. A simple mesh/grated covering over the outlet pipe would ensure that fish could not enter.
This entire design depends on the river having a slight downward angle relative to the horizontal. If a river had no downward angle to it, the water would be stagnant and be a lake. As each river has a different downward angle to it, this makes the downward angle needed for the outlet pipe variable. However, as long as the downward angle of the outlet is slightly less than that of the rivers"", the outlet will always meet up with the river. Also, the increased momentum the water gains by falling and thus traveling through the turbines will also aid in the water from the plant flowing from the outlet to the river.
This proposed underground hydroelectric plant solves many of the problems with the modern dam operated hydroelectric plant. First, it gets rid of the dam, which disturbed the natural flow of water. Second, cropland adjacent to a river will no longer be flooded. Third, planners of hydroelectric plants will no longer need to find a physically feasible location to erect a dam operated hydroelectric plant. Fourth, dredging and destruction of dams because of silt build up will no longer be a problem. Fifth, the migration of fish both up and down stream will no longer be inhibited because of the grate on the inlet pipe and the mesh on the of the outlet pipe. Finally, rivers that freeze over can now be utilized for the production of electrical energy.
This proposed invention also has many positive side effects. First, by having underground wires connecting the underground generators to above ground transformers located about a mile from the river, no one will even know the hydroelectric plant is there. Second this design allows for plants to be built continuously down the river, one right after another, so that every section of the river could be utilized. Finally, this design allows the entire system to be cleaned of silt by simply flushing the system out.
The two major advantages to this system are that it is pollution free and it makes more efficient use of rivers to make electricity. With the increase in efficiency of rivers to make electricity, the hope is to lower the use of coal burning, natural gas burning, and nuclear fission to generate electricity, all three of which pollute the earth and are non-renewable resources. With an increase in the use of hydroelectricity, many of the earth""s limited natural resources can be preserved and could potentially put the brakes on both air and ground pollution.